diff --git a/scripts/git-hooks/pre-commit-python.hook b/scripts/git-hooks/pre-commit-python.hook
index 16a808a7e4..e741368b32 100755
--- a/scripts/git-hooks/pre-commit-python.hook
+++ b/scripts/git-hooks/pre-commit-python.hook
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ import os
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import tempfile
+import json
+import glob
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Dict, Optional, Set, Tuple
 
 NOT_PYCODESTYLE_COMPLIANT_MESSAGE_PRE = \
     "Your code is not fully pycodestyle compliant and contains"\
@@ -45,10 +49,155 @@ def copy_files_to_tmp_dir(files):
 
     return tempdir
 
+def find_builddir() -> Optional[Path]:
+    # Explicitly-defined builddir takes precedence
+    if 'GST_DOC_BUILDDIR' in os.environ:
+        return Path(os.environ['GST_DOC_BUILDDIR'])
+
+    # Now try the usual suspects
+    for name in ('build', '_build', 'builddir', 'b'):
+        if Path(name, 'build.ninja').exists():
+            return Path(name)
+
+    # Out of luck, look for the most recent folder with a `build.ninja` file
+    for d in sorted([p for p in Path('.').iterdir() if p.is_dir()], key=lambda p: p.stat().st_mtime):
+        if Path(d, 'build.ninja').exists():
+            print ('Found', d)
+            return d
+
+    return None
+
+def hotdoc_conf_needs_rebuild(conf_path: Path, conf_data: Dict, modified_fpaths):
+    if not isinstance(conf_data, dict):
+        return False
+
+    for (key, value) in conf_data.items():
+        if key.endswith('c_sources'):
+            if any(['*' in f for f in value]):
+                continue
+            conf_dir = conf_path.parent
+            for f in value:
+                fpath = Path(f)
+                if not fpath.is_absolute():
+                    fpath = Path(conf_dir, fpath)
+
+                fpath = fpath.resolve()
+                if fpath in modified_fpaths:
+                    return True
+
+    return False
+
+
+def get_hotdoc_confs_to_rebuild(builddir, modified_files) -> Tuple[Set, Set]:
+    srcdir = Path(os.getcwd())
+    modified_fpaths = set()
+    for f in modified_files:
+        modified_fpaths.add(Path(srcdir, f))
+
+    confs_need_rebuild = set()
+    caches_need_rebuild = set()
+    for path in glob.glob('**/docs/*.json', root_dir=builddir, recursive=True):
+        conf_path = Path(srcdir, builddir, path)
+        with open(conf_path) as f:
+            conf_data = json.load(f)
+
+        if hotdoc_conf_needs_rebuild(conf_path, conf_data, modified_fpaths):
+            confs_need_rebuild.add(conf_path)
+            caches_need_rebuild.add(conf_data.get('gst_plugin_library'))
+
+    return (confs_need_rebuild, caches_need_rebuild)
+
+def build(builddir):
+    subprocess.run(['ninja', '-C', builddir], check=True)
+    subprocess.run(['ninja', '-C', builddir, 'subprojects/gstreamer/docs/hotdoc-configs.json'], check=True)
+
+def build_cache(builddir, subproject, targets):
+    if not targets:
+        return
+
+    print (f'Rebuilding {subproject} cache with changes from {targets}')
+
+    cmd = [
+        os.path.join(builddir, f'subprojects/{subproject}/docs/gst-plugins-doc-cache-generator'),
+        os.path.join(os.getcwd(), f'subprojects/{subproject}/docs/plugins/gst_plugins_cache.json'),
+        os.path.join(builddir, f'subprojects/{subproject}/docs/gst_plugins_cache.json'),
+    ] + targets
+
+    subprocess.run(cmd)
+
+class StashManager:
+    def __enter__(self):
+        print ('Stashing changes')
+        # First, save the difference with the current index to a patch file
+        tree = subprocess.run(['git', 'write-tree'], capture_output=True, check=True).stdout.strip()
+        result = subprocess.run(['git', 'diff-index', '--ignore-submodules', '--binary', '--no-color', '--no-ext-diff', tree], check=True, capture_output=True)
+        # Don't delete the temporary file, we want to make sure to prevent data loss
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete_on_close=False, delete=False) as f:
+            f.write(result.stdout)
+            self.patch_file_name = f.name
+
+        # Print the path to the diff file, useful is something goes wrong
+        print ("unstaged diff saved to ", self.patch_file_name)
+
+        # Now stash the changes, we do not use git stash --keep-index because it causes spurious rebuilds
+        subprocess.run(['git', '-c', 'submodule.recurse=0', 'checkout', '--', '.'], check=True)
+        return self
+
+    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):
+        # Now re-apply the non-staged changes
+        subprocess.run(['git', 'apply', '--allow-empty', self.patch_file_name], check=True)
+        print ('Unstashed changes')
+
+def run_doc_checks(modified_files):
+    builddir = find_builddir()
+
+    if builddir is None:
+        raise Exception('cannot run doc pre-commit hook without a build directory')
+
+    builddir = builddir.absolute()
+
+    build(builddir)
+
+    # Each subproject holds its own cache file. For each we keep track of the
+    # dynamic library associated with the hotdoc configuration files that need
+    # rebuilding, and only update the caches using those libraries.
+    # This is done in order to minimize spurious diffs as much as possible.
+    caches = {
+            'gstreamer': []
+    }
+
+    (confs_need_rebuild, caches_need_rebuild) = get_hotdoc_confs_to_rebuild(builddir, modified_files)
+
+    for libpath in caches_need_rebuild:
+        cache_project = Path(libpath).relative_to(builddir).parts[1]
+        caches[cache_project].append(libpath)
+
+    for (subproject, libpaths) in caches.items():
+        build_cache(builddir, subproject, libpaths)
+
+    try:
+        subprocess.run(['git', 'diff', '--ignore-submodules', '--exit-code'], check=True)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+        print ('You have a diff in the plugin cache, please commit it')
+        raise e
+
+    print ('No pending diff in plugin caches, checking since tags')
+
+    for conf_path in confs_need_rebuild:
+        subprocess.run(['hotdoc', 'run', '--fatal-warnings', '--disable-warnings', '--enabled-warnings', 'missing-since-marker', '--conf-file', conf_path, '--previous-symbol-index', 'subprojects/gst-docs/symbols/symbol_index.json'], check=True)
 
 def main():
     modified_files = system('git', 'diff-index', '--cached',
                             '--name-only', 'HEAD', '--diff-filter=ACMR').split("\n")[:-1]
+
+    if os.environ.get('GST_ENABLE_DOC_PRE_COMMIT_HOOK', '0') != '0':
+        with StashManager():
+            try:
+                run_doc_checks(modified_files)
+            except Exception as e:
+                print (e)
+                sys.exit(1)
+
     non_compliant_files = []
     output_message = None
 
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-docs/markdown/contribute/index.md b/subprojects/gst-docs/markdown/contribute/index.md
index a682da265d..904a5c533a 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-docs/markdown/contribute/index.md
+++ b/subprojects/gst-docs/markdown/contribute/index.md
@@ -722,6 +722,24 @@ If you have a concern it might be the case you can look at the relevant
 hotdoc.json file for your subproject to see exactly what sources are
 included / excluded.
 
+You can enable checks for up-to-date plugin caches and presence of the necessary
+since tags at commit time by setting the `GST_ENABLE_DOC_PRE_COMMIT_HOOK`
+environment variable to any value other than "0":
+
+``` shell
+GST_ENABLE_DOC_PRE_COMMIT_HOOK=1 git commit
+```
+
+The pre-commit hook will:
+
+* Stash unstaged changes (the path to the patch file is printed out)
+* Locate the build directory (the location can be specified through the `GST_DOC_BUILDDIR` environment variable)
+* Build the version of the code that is to be committed
+* Build the relevant plugins caches and error out if there is a diff
+* Build the relevant doc subprojects using `hotdoc` and error out in case of since tag errors
+
+In any case, the stashed changes are then re-applied
+
 ## Backporting to a stable branch
 
 Before backporting any changes to a stable branch, they should first be